Sydney Johansson, a 17-year-old with cerebral palsy [1] from Fountain, CO, was more than a little excited to have her senior pictures taken [2] at the Garden of the Gods, a national monument that would make for a breathtaking backdrop. But after hiring local photographer Jessica Vallia [3], Sydney's luck took a turn for the worse and it started to pour. With few options, Sydney and her mom, Laura, decided to take a chance by asking the nearby Starbucks if they could have the session there instead.
Jessica told POPSUGAR that Sydney needed to have the photos taken that day because she had a surgery scheduled for later in the month.
"Laura joked about the Taco Bell senior photos [5] a few years back and that it was too bad Chick-fil-A was closed [6] being Sunday," Jessica said. "The only other place really was Starbucks, and we all agreed that it was a trendy, upbeat kind of place for a 17-year-old and we'd just have to make the best of it."
Although they were apprehensive about asking for a favor, Laura made a mad dash for the front door and explained the situation to Chris, the shift supervisor, [7] emphasizing that Sydney uses a wheelchair — which meant their venue choices were more limited.
Without a moment's hesitation, Chris sprung into action, doing everything to help Sydney make the session memorable. He even went outside in the pouring rain to help her get out of the car without getting wet.
"Chris wasn't even TRYING to stay dry or under the umbrella, he wasn't even concerned about it. He just wanted them to stay dry and get them inside quickly," Jessica explained. "We could have just been told 'yes' and that would have made our day, but everything that followed made this one of most beautiful things I've ever witnessed!"
Jessica quickly got to work, taking shot after shot of Sydney — who was clearly all smiles.
"There were serious tears from all after taking in everything from the senior session," she said. "I just wanted her to have the average senior session, like any other girl, and instead she got the red carpet in a way I couldn't have been more proud to be a part of!"
The generosity didn't stop there; Chris made sure the trio had complimentary drinks and essentially acted like Jessica's assistant for the entirety of the shoot.
"After getting inside, we were greeted with hot chocolates made with soy milk because they were unsure of allergies," Jessica said. "Who thinks that far into it?! I was blown away with gratitude at this point."
But Chris wasn't the only person there who was eager to lend a helping hand; plenty of customers were also quick to offer up assistance.
"Chris came over and asked if there was anything else we needed about a dozen times as we were literally moving furniture and talking to other interested and helpful patrons," Jessica said.
And make no mistake, the photo shoot was one heck of a production.
"Even upon leaving, he wouldn't let us pay for more coffee," Jessica said. "We were there a good hour at least, taking up the bathroom as it's no easy feat to change Sydney and we had several outfits."
Chris also decided to flex his creative muscle by making congratulatory signs for the ecstatic 17-year-old to hang in the background.
"Chris came by and asked if he could make Sydney some signs and pulled out markers and colored paper to make her a little backdrop," she explained, adding that "he even rearranged some items in the store!"
For Jessica, it was a heartwarming reminder that a little kindness can go a long way.
"The outpour of love shows that people NEED the good stories, they are thirsty for them, and they are out there, we all just need to share them more," she said.